Spectacle case



C. R. JERRY SPECTACLE CASE May 28, 1957 Filed Dec. 2, 1953' MR a 4 6 IATTORNEY 1A SPECTACLE CASE Carl R. Jerry, St. Petersburg, Fla., assignorto Shuron Optical Company, Inc., Geneva, N. Y., a corporation of NewYork The present invention relates to spectacle cases and moreparticularly to sheet metal spectacle cases and to a method of coveringthe same. More specifically the invention relates to a method ofcovering the overlaying flange which cooperates with the body portion ofthe case to form the pocket of the spectacle case.

Heretofore it has been the practice in covering metal spectacle cases tofold the side tabs of the body portion of the covering over theoverlying flange and then to fold the front flap of the body portion ofthe covering over the overhanging flange and the side tabs. The frontflap was made of a length to cover the side tabs, at both sides, therebyproviding overlap joints at both sides of the flange. This method andconstruction leaves the material of the front flap, which covers theover-- hanging flange, exposed at both sides of the flange so that intime it becomes frayed or pulls loose. This detracts from the appearanceof the case.

One object of the present invention is to provide a spectacle casecovering in which the front flap will be free of wear and fraying or thepossibility of pulling loose at the sides of the overhanging flange.

Another object of the invention is to provide a spectacle case coverwhich will have. an improved appearance.

A further object of the, invention is to provide a spectacle case coverwhich will have improved appearance and longer life.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent hereinafter from thespecification and from the recital of the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a metal spectacle case body placedupon a covering blank ready to have the cover applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan view on a somewhat enlarged scale showingone corner of the overhanging flange and adjacent parts of the spectaclecase, and the portion of the covering that is to cover these parts;

Fig. 3 is a similar fragmentary view showing one side tab of thecovering folded over the overhanging flange of the case;

Fig. 4 is a similar fragmetnary view showing the front flap of thecovering folded over the flange in abutting relation to the folded overtab;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the covered case;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view, similar to Fig. 4, but showing theabutting parts of the tab and of front flap dimpled to conceal the jointbetween them;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view, similar to Fig. 6, but showing theabutting portions of the tab and of the front flap dimpled and stampedto conceal the joint between them; and

Fig. 8 is a perspective view, similar to Fig. 5, showing the coveredspectacle case with the portions of the covering of the flange dimpledand stamped, concealing the joint between the tab and the front flap.

Referring now to the drawing by numerals of reference, 10 denotes themetal foundation portion of the nit ed States Patent O flap 30 for asimilar purpose- ICC spectacle case. a lid 12, which is hinged to thebody portion at 13. The body portion is made with an overlying flange14, lateral sides 15, and a rear side 16. Thesides, together with theoverlying flange 14'and base 17 of the body, provide the usual pocketfor reception of a spectacle. A coil spring 18 has one end secured tothe inside of the lid 10 and its other end secured to anchoring members19 that are struck up from the body 11. This isconventionalconstruction; and the spring 18 serves to hold the lid openor to hold it closed, after it has been moved in either direction beyonddead center position.

25 denotes the covering for the case 10. This may be made of leather,imitation leather, processed cloth, or other suitable material. Itsinside surface is usually coated with glue capable of adhering 'to thesurface of the case when heated and when pressure is applied thereto. I

The lid 12 of the case iscovered in conventional manner as by foldingthe portion 26 (shown only fragmentarily) of the covering over the edgesof the lid 12 and adhering the covering to theinside of the lid after ithas been heated. The present invention is not concerned with the methodof covering the lid 12 of the case 10.

The portion 27 of the covering 25 for the body portion 11 of the casecomprises the side flaps 28, the tab portions 29 and the front flap 30.Recesses 31 are cut in the covering material between each side flap 28and the adjoining tab 29 to permit properly folding the covering overthe sides 15 and overlying flange 14 of the case without wrinkling thecover. Recesses 32 are provided between the tabs 28 and the adjoiningsides of the front In covering. the body portion of the case, the bodyportion is placed on the cover portion 27, and the side flaps 28 andtabs 29 are folded over the side walls 15 and flange 14, respectively,so that the portions 28 of the side flaps cover theoutsides of sidewalls 15 and the portions 29 of the tabs cover the corners of the flange14, and so that the portions 28" of the side flaps fold over the topedge and inside the side walls 15 of the case, and the portions 29" ofthe adjoining tabs 29 fold inside underneath the corner of the flange14. The dotted line 35 in Fig. 2 denotes the line of fold of the righthand side flap 28 and right hand tab 29.

When this fold has been made, the overhanging flange 14 of the pockethas been covered at each corner by a tab 29, as shown in Fig. 3. Thenthe front flap 30 is folded over the overlying flange 14 and underneaththe same, the line of fold being denoted at 36 in Fig. 3. The inside ofthe lid 10 and body portion 11 of the case and the portions of thecovering, which fold inside the case, may then be covered with a singlepiece of velvet 45 according to conventional practice.

The front flap 30 is generally rectangular in shape having straightedges at opposite ends; and the tabs 29 and the front flap 30 are so cutthat when folded over the overhanging flange 14 they abut one anotherforming a butt joint as shown at 40 in Fig. 4.

The adjoining portions 51 and 52 of each tab 29 and of the front flap 30are then dimpled by embossing; and a line 53 is stamped or embossed onthe front flap 30 which is inclined to the edge 55 of the case at anangle to form with the adjacent side edge of the case a substantiallyisoceles triangle whose bisector is the butt line 40, as shown in Fig.6; or, if desired, the adjoining portions 52 and 51 may also be stampedor embossed along the line 40, to provide a heavy joining line 54 asshown in Figs. 7 and 8. Thus, the spectacle case will have theappearance of having mitered corners.

The dimpling of the adjoining portions 51 and 52 of the tabs 29 andfront flap 30, and the embossing of the Patented May 28, 1957..

This includes the body portion 11 and line 53, or of the lines 53 and54, along these adjoining portions conceal the juncture 40, and improvematerially the appearance of the covered case. Because the butt joints40 are spaced from the side edges of the case,

and the sides of the covering have no exposed edges at i with particularembodiments thereof, it capable of other modifications, and thisapplication 4's intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptationsof the invention following, in general, the principles of the inventionand including such departures from the present disclosure as come withinknown or customary practice in the art to which the invention pertainsand as may be applied to the essential features hereinbefore set forthand, as fall within the scope of the invention or the limits of theappended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A spectacle case comprising a body portion: and a lid portion, saidbody portion having a bottom, opposed side walls, and a rear wall, andan overlying flange extending from the front of said body portionrearwardly, each of said side walls joining the front edge of saidflange at an obtuse angle, said flange overlying the front portions ofsaid side walls and of said bottom and constituting with the bottom andsaid side walls a pocket for a spectacle, and a covering for said bodyportion comprising a single sheet of covering material having a portionto cover the outside of said bottom, flaps at opposite sides coveringthe outsides of said side Walls, a tab attached to each of said flapsand covering the outside portions of said flange which are laterallyadjacent the side walls, and a front flap covering the remainder of theoutside of 7 said flange, the portion of said front flap, which overliessaid flange, being generally rectangular in shape and of a length lessthan the length of said flange and having parallel, straight side edges,and each of said tabs having a straight terminal edge abutting againstthe adjacent straight side edge of said front flap at a point spacedfrom the corresponding side wall to form a butt joint therewith, thesaid straight terminal edges of said tabs being parallel.

2. A spectacle case comprising a body portion and a lid portion, saidbody portion having a bottom, opposed side walls, and a rear wall, andan overlying flange extending from the front of said body portionsrearwardly, each of said side walls joining the front edge of saidflange at an obtuse angle, said flange overlying the front portions ofsaid side walls and of said bottom and constituting with the bottom andsaid walls a pocket for a spectacle, and a covering for said bodyportion comprising a single sheet of covering material having a portionto cover the outside of said bottom, flaps at opposite sides coveringthe outsides of said side walls, a tab attached to each of said flapsand covering the outside portions of said flange which are laterallyadjacent the side walls, and a front flap covering the remainder of theoutside of said flange, said flap being of a length less than the lengthof said flange, the portion of said front fl p, Which overlies saidflange, being generally rectangular in shape and having parallel,straight side edges, and each of said tabs having a straight terminaledge abutting against the adjacent straight side edge of said front flapto form a butt joint therewith which is spaced from the adjacent sidewall, the said terminal side edges of the two tabs being parallel toform with said front flapspaced, parallel abutting joints, the portionof each tab, which overlies said flange, being approximately triangularin shape and being dimpled, and the portion of the front flap, whichadjoins each tab, being dimpled over a triangular area, correspondingapproximately to the dimpled area of the tab to form with the abuttingportion of each tab a dimpled area of approximately isoceles triangularshape whereby to obscure said butt joint.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,568,982 Lengsfield Jan. 12, 1926 1,579,467 Christman Apr. 6, 19261,842,925 Willmott Jan. 26, 1932 2,166,038 Chambon July 11, 19392,701,930 Dolan Feb. 15, 1955

